Method and apparatus for separating materials



Oct. 31, 1939. l \C EA POOL 2,178,456

` METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Original Filed April l0, 19157 4 Sheets-Shet 1 BY f M d M ATTQRNEY.

MHT

Oct. 3l, 1939. C. E. POOL 2,178,456

' n METHOD' AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Original Filed April l0; 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. E. POOL Oct.' 31, 1939.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS original Filed April 1o, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

K [S/gm C. E. POOL METHOD AND -APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Original Filed April 10, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VENTOR.

44 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 31,-- 1939 UNITED STATES METHOD Anp APPAaATUsFon SEPARAT- TNG MATERIALS Charles E. Pool, Cleveland, Ohio, asslgnoro onehalf to Harry E. Davisson, Clarksburg, W. Va.

Application April 1o, 1937, serial No. 136,111'

Renewed August 4, 1939 3 Claims.

My invention relates to the separation of intermingled materials having diierent specific gravities.

Whilev it may be employed for the segregation of materials ofV any kind having such characteristics, it is more especially intended for the separation of coal fromslate or other' impurities and of coke from cinders orother impurities.

Thus, for instance, in the coke regions there are great piles of materials containing usable coke particles of relative small size, say down to a' quarter inch, mixed with the incombustible portion of the coal from which the coke was manufactured and which have no fuel value but may be used for other purposes.

The principal object which I have in view is the provision of an improved method and apparatus by means of which the cost and time requiredl vfor the separation of materials may be reduced andthe values may be recovered to a greater degrec and in a purer and more usable condition. Another object which I have .in view is the automatic control of the buoyancy of the bath whereby? the materials may be readily separated the bath which is employed in the process of separation.

' Another object which I have in view is the provision of a compact and portable mechanism for the purposes described which vmay be constructed at a relative small; cost and which will be inexpensive to operate.

Another object which I have in view is the provisionjin such an apparatus, for the division or grading of the materials having the greater specic gravity in accordance with the sizes of their particles.I V, l l

Other objects will appear from the Vfollowing description.

All of theobjects above referred to are accomplished by my improved method and apparatus which-form the subject matter of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of .the prnciples of my invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation with portions broken away in section to show parts which otherwise would be concealed. 5

Fig. 2 is a plan viewcf the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. l Fig. 4 is a broken horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2, certain parts being 10 omitted.

Fig. 5 is a detail in .vertical section, taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4, illustrating the constant level mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a broken elevation on enlarged scale 15 showingv one of the conveyers.

Fig. 7 is a detail lin section along the line l-l in 6. A

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. l but showng a modiiication. Y 20 Referring to the drawings, l represents a base which is preferably provided with four wheels i so that the mechanism may be readily portable and may be moved from location to location as needed. 25

Supported on said base is a tank having an upwardly curved or concaved oor 3 and vertical sides 4 which may be formed by the upwardlyextending vertical side walls of the base. -The top edges of the side walls of the intermediate 30 portion of the tank are horizontal but the iloor and sides of the tank are extended upwardly and outwardly at either end to form conveyor chutes, the one at the right in Fig. 1 indicated at -5 beingv used forthe carrying away of the valueshaving ,35 lesser specic gravity and theone at the left, 6, for carrying away the heavier materials.

At their outer ends said chutes are provided with discharge spouts l and 8, respectively.

I provide an endless conveyer, the preferred 40 construction of which is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7,. Thus 9 are the two parallel side 'chains which slide on ledges Illl mounted on the side walls 4 of the tank. At spaced tervals the chains are provided with rigidly attached and inwardly ex- 45 tending plates Il to which are attached as by' riveting the ends of the transversely disposed blades I2, which are preferably provided with perforations I3. 'I'he top flight of the blades are substantially half immersed in the bath 'while the 50 bottom flight slides along or moves adiacent the curved bottom ofthe tank.

At either end of the tank proper, the idlev hold-down sprockets I4 are provided to hold the peuter top flight of the conveyer-horizontal. At

the upper end of the chute 5 I provide a cross shaft I5 upon which is mounted a pair of sprockets I6 which are engaged by the conveyer chains 9 and around which the chains extend. One end of the shaft I5 protrudes from the chute l and is provided with a sprocket l1 connected by a drive chain i8 with a sprocket i9 on a horizontal shaft iournaled in the base i. The shaft 20 is provided with a second sprocket 2i which in turn is connected by a chain 22 with a source of power, such as the motor 23.

At the upper end of the chute 6 a like shaft 24 is provided having mounted thereon the sprockets` 25 around which the conveyer chains run. The shaft 24 is provided with suitable means 26 for adjustment to regulate the tautness of the conveyer. i

Underneath the rise or upper night of the conveyer inthe chute 5 is an' upwardly inclined noor 21 over which the blades I2 slide. A like upwardly extending floor 2B is provided by the upper night of theconveyer in the chute B.

l It is apparent that materials having sunlciently low specific gravity to `neat at or adjacent the surface of the bath in the tank would be swept by the upper night of the conveyer up along the noor 21 .ofthenhuteiand discharged through the spout 1, while the materials having higher specinc gravity and thus sinking to the bottom of the tank would be swept up along chute 6,. under the noor 28 and be discharged through the spout 8.

'Ihe agglomerated'materials are introduced into the-bath at a point adjacent the inner end of the chute I. l

I'prefer to first separate these materials from dust and nne particles which are of such inconsiderable value as to be unsuited for profitable separation.

' Thus I show mounted on the frames 29 erected on the tank, the conical screens 2li which may be of any suitable construction, and into the outer ends of which the agglomerates are shovelled or otherwise introduced. y The nner materials are screened out and fall down at either side of the tank, while the coarser materials are discharged into `the tank through the inner and discharge end of the rotary screens.

. The rotary blades il of the screens are mounted on a common shaft I2. At the center of the shaft I2 is mounted a sprocket ll connected by a chain 84 with a sprocket Ilmounted on the shaft 36 iournaled in the upper end of the chute l. The

protruding end of the shaft l! is providedwith another sprocket Il connected by a' chain 34 with a sprocket 30 on the shaft il. Thus the screens are operated from the motor 23.

It is necesary in the separation of materials in accordance with my invention to so regulate the `density of the liquid in the bath that a proper and economic separation in accordance with specinc gravities may be effected. In separating such material as coal or coke from other and heavier materials, water alone would not serve as a separation both, since the-coal and coke would -sink with the slate and cinders.

It is therefore necessary to add substances toy the water to provide the proper buoyancy of the lighter materials. j

Thus I may mix with the water ofthe bath such substances as nnely divided clay, loam, fuller's earth, nre clay, salt, lime, carbide, slime or chalk.

Again in the case of the separation of coal or coke from impurities, I may mix with the water of the bath such materials as crude petroleum, fuel oil, lubricating oil. such for instance as used crank case oil, mixing the same with the water preferably before the latter is introduced into the tank, 4thus forming what might be termed an emulsion whichwill provide the proper buoyancy and impregnate the particles of coal or coke, thus adding to their combustible values and preventing the retarding of their combustion owing to the inclusion in the particles of water from the bath.

Again I may substitute for the clay or other inert substances to densify the water of the bath or Imay use in connection therewith a solid which will increase the combustible values of the recovdensity of the bath, I provide means for introducing such materials into the tank and for mixing the same with the water of the bath. I also provide means for continuously regulating and maintaining the selected density of the bath during the, operation of the apparatus.

Thus 40 represents a chamber or boxing closed at its sides andtop and bottom and mounted on or formed against the side wall of thetank and extending longitudinally of the latter.

4I is a port in the sid wall of the tank adjacent the base of the chute li which connects the interior of the tank below the water line with the inlet of a vortex pump 42 mounted inthe chamber 40 and driven by means of a sprocket 43,

mounted on the protruding shaft of the pump.

.48 in the side wall of the tank adjacent the base of the chute 8 and below the water line.

It is evident that when the pump is-operated. liquid will be continuously withdrawn from the bath through port 4l and returned thereto through port 48, thus maintaining a circulation of the liquid in the bath in the direction of the movement of the top night of the conveyer.

`4I represents a vertically disposed container mounted on a cross member ll which spans the top of the tank. Leading from the base of the container 4l is a tubular casing il in which works the conveyer worm l2 arranged to discharge the contents of the'container 4l. 'Ihe discharge end of the worm I2 is over a port Il which leads vertically through the top wall 0f the chamber 40 and connects to an inclined spout I4 whose lower end is above and in front of the outlet 4I of the pump.

'rne shaft or une worm n extends through the Vother or inlet end of the casing Il and is operatively connected to the motor l5 whose feed 'circuit 58 is connected through a switch 51, preferably a mercury switch such as that known by the trade name "Mercoid", to a suitable source of electric current, not shown.

The switch 51 is operated to close and open the circuit of the motor li by means actuated by upper end of the stem 59 extends through the top of the chamber .I0 and is connected to the switch 51 to open and close the same. Also mounted 4on the stem 59 is a cup 6l to receive suitablel weights, such as shot, so that the buoyancy of the oat may be regulated to respond to the desired density in the bath liquid.

, To prevent the turbulencev of the liquid at the outlet of the pump from disturbingv the proper response `of. the hydrometer to the density of the` liquid, I prefer toprovide the curved baille 62 which extends from the top to the bottom of the chamber 40 and4 directs the outilow from the pump around the hydrometer.

In operation the container lisis filled with clay,

. loam, fullers earth, sea coal facing or other mafio terialto be added to the bath, and the hydrometer is'adjusted to the buoyancy which is desired in the bath. i

Until suincient densifying material has been `added to the bath by the operation of the screw vthe bath liquid drops below that desired, the

float sinks and starts themotor and more material is added to the bath,'and as soon as the desireddensity is restored, the float rises and interrupts the operation of the motor.

It is thus evident that I am enabled to continuously maintain the desired density.

Where oils or other combustible liquids are to be added to the bath, I prefer to mix the same with the water before the introduction of the latter to the bath. but if desired the same may be introduced into the flow in the chamber d and l thus added' to or intermingled with the water.

'Ihe automatic control of the density of the bath is of great impotrance. I am thus enabled to adjust the density of the bath to the buoyancy of the lighter values, such for instance coal or coke, to be separated from the heavier values, and am thus enabled to obtain with great accuracy the desired grades of recovered material, and these results I am able to continuously maintain throughout .the prolonged operation of the apparatus. It-is evident that if no means for the automatic establishment and maintenance of the To enable the apparatus to be operated Awithout interruption in freezing weather, I provide means for heating the bath. Any suitable means may be provided for that purpose. Thus I have sho'wn the torch flares 64 mounted on the base i beneath the curved floor 3 of the tank.' i

I provide means for maintaining a constant level of water in the tank. 'I'hus 65 represents a shallow float tank mounted on the side of the main tank and connected therewith by an open port 66 so that the level of liquid in the oat tank 'will be the same as that in the main tank. S1

represents a pipe for supplying water under presmaterials.

sure or head from a suitable source and controlled by a valve 68 controlled. by la. oat inthe tank 65. Thus at all times the water Will be maintained at proper level in the bath.

If desired, instead of yemploying clay or other densifying substances to provide the 'necessary buoyancy to support the lighter materials in the bath I may inject compressed air through jets connected to the bottom or lower portion of thetank, thus adding to the buoyancy of the lighter Referring now to Fig. .8, I therein 'show a modification of the'apparatus comprising means v for sorting and separating in accordance to sizes y the recovered materials of the lesser specific gravity. Thus I show a second. endless conveyer mounted beneath the tank and so associated with v suitable screens as to sort and separate the materi'als delivered through the chute 5 by the main conveyer which operates in the tank. 1

In this modification 10 and 1i refer to anpair of transversely disposed shafts mounted between downward extended side walls of the chutes 5 and r t, respectively. I'he shaft 1l is arranged for movement toward and away from the shaft it to provide for adjustment of the tautness of the sorting conveyer. The shaft 'l0 is prolonged outside of the side Wall and provided with a pulley l2 connected by a belt 13 to a smaller pulley l@ on the shaft 20. 'I'he shafts 'lll and il are provided with sprockets 15 which carry the endless con- V`veyer 16, which may be of any suitable construction but preferably the -same asthat of the main conveyer. The direction of movement of the sorting conveyer is as shown in the arrows and the belt 'I3 is preferably twisted for this purpose. The upper flight of the sorting conveyer is supe angle irons attached to the inner surfaces of the side walls 4 and similar angle ledges are provided for thelower flight of the sorting conveyer.

At the outer end of the chute 5, the spout l is omitted and in its place a iioor 'E8 runs under the upper flight of the sorting conveyer to a point indicated at 19 wherea screen bottom 8U extends under such upper iiight to an intermediate point such as 8| whence a solid floor 32 extends to the shaft li. 83 is a curved end Wall substantially concentric with the shaftli and suiciently spaced therefrom to provide clearance for the transverse blades of the sorting conveyer and to give clearance for the material beingI conveyed to thevlower flight. Beneath the adjacent portion of the lower flight is the screen floor 84 and then the conveyer is supported by the curved angle irons or ledges, as shown at B5, to the sprockets on the shaft lll.l

The screen 80 is provided with interstices or ported by the ledges 11 which may be formed by V openings of proper size to permit the free passage I down therethrough of particles or lumps up to the size of say 11/2 by 21/2 inches, while the larger lumps are carried along by the conveyer until they reach the screen 84 Where 'larger lumps drop through. The still larger lumps are carried past the screen and drop down on the base l.

Suitable chutes SS and 81 are provided to carry off the lumps falling through the screens 86 and 84, respectively. A'similar chute may be provided for carrying oif the larger' lumps faliing down through the open bottom of the conveyer beyond the screen 84.

It s evident that by means of my invention separation in accordance with the ditlerent specie gravities of intermingled material may be accomplished quicldv and-with improved accuwhich enables it to be shifted from lacality to,

locality and thus avoids the expense of transporting or hauling the intermingled materials from their original site to the separation plant.

I claim:

1. The method of treating and segregating fuel such as coal and coke from materials having greater specific gravity which comprises separating the materials in a bath the specific gravity of which is intermediate of the specific gravities of the fuel and the foreign material, removing the fuel from the upper level of the bath, adding i 'i lower iiight to withdraw the heavier materials from the lower level of said bath, a sorting floor powdered coal to the bath to form a top layer of coal on the surface of the bath, and coating the fuel with powdered coal -as it is being removed from the bath by withdrawing it through the added layer of powdered coal floating on the bath. v n

2. In apparatus for-segregating materials havingdiiferent speciiic. gravities, the combination of s tank containing a liquid bath the speciiic gravity of which is intermediate of the specific graviti'es of the materials to be separated and into which the materials are introduced, a bypass connected to opposite ends of said tank, propelling means for withdrawing a portion of the bath from one end of said tank and forcing it through said by-pass and discharging it into the other end of said tank, means for introducing a densuylng material into the by-pss adjacent said propelling means and into the by-passed stream of bath liquid, and a bamed chamber in lsaid by-pass creating agitation to place said densiiying material in suspension, whereby to maintain the bath at the predetermined density while maintaining the body of the bath at the required tranquility to permit the proper separation of the materials by gravity.

3. In apparatus for segregating materials, a unitary structure comprising in combination a tank having an arcuately shaped bottom and containing a bath the specific gravity of which is intermediate of thespecific gravity of the materials being segregated, a continuous traveling conveyor mounted within said 'tank to permit its upper flight to withdraw the lighter materials from the upper level of said bath and its having a plurality of screens of different meshes mounted in an arc-conforming to the bottom of said tank and closely geneath. the same, a chute extending from said conveyor to said sorting floor for .delivering the material to the latter, and a second conveyor for moving the material across the sorting door where it is separated in accordance with the mesh of the screens.

CHARLES E. Poor.. 

